Organic polysulfide polymers are a class of important industrial compounds which have unusually good resistance to solvents and good low temperature properties. They can be used commercially, for example, in battery applications and in high pressure lubricant applications. Solid organic polysulfide polymers in the vulcanized cured state can be used in printing rolls, paint-spray hose, solvent hose, gaskets, and gas-meter diaphragms. Liquid organic polysulfide polymers are used mainly in sealants for double-pane insulating glass windows, building construction, boat hulls and decks, and printing rolls.
General procedure for the synthesis of organic polysulfide polymers involves in the reaction of dichloro aliphatic compounds with excess aqueous sodium polysulfide. For example, organic polysulfide polymers can be made from bis(2-chloroethyl) formal and sodium polysulfide. Bis(2-chloroethyl) formal is made from, and contaminated with, ethylene chlorohydrin, which is known to act as a chain terminator in the polysulfide polymerization thereby excessively limiting the molecular weight of the polymers.
Furthermore, because the reaction of dichloro aliphatic compounds and aqueous sodium polysulfide is exothermic, considerable cooling is required, thereby incurring high manufacturing costs. There is therefore an ever-increasing need to develop a better process for the preparation of organic polysulfide polymers. It would be a significant contribution to the art if a new, improved process for synthesizing organic polysulfide polymers were developed.